TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that the 2016 International Religious Freedom Annual Report published by U.S. State Department is “unrealistic”, “unfounded” and “biased”.

In the report, released on Tuesday, it is claimed that religious minorities in Iran are persecuted for their faith.

“Iran considers this report unrealistic, unfounded and biased which has been prepared to serve certain political objectives,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said.

Calling accusations leveled against Iran in the report as “unacceptable”, he said the report portrays a “manipulated” and “political” image of religious freedom in Iran.

It is essential to avoid “politicizing” the issue of religious freedom and respect others’ beliefs in order to be able to bring various religions close together, Qassemi noted.

He added, “The great Iranian people observe their religion freely and within the framework of law and the advanced principles of the constitution, and the law protects this freedom.”

Elsewhere, Qassemi said that ethnic and religious discrimination in the U.S. is clear to all and Muslims in the country are subjected to violence by security forces and state institutions.

The U.S. government is expected to support freedom of religion and Muslims’ rights instead of judging situation in the other countries, he stated.

NA/PA